One Day
by SilentPony
Summary: They were partners in all things except the one she wanted most. A look at what I wish would happen after the events of Resident Evil 6.


_Hey, this is a quick one-shot that's been floating in my mind since I finished Leon's Campaign in Resident Evil 6. Honestly I wrote this because the whole Ada-tease-subplot is getting very old. I like Leon and I have since Resident Evil 2 and it pisses me off that so many romantic options are just written off because Ada struts around in something red. I mean Claire was awesome, and I'm actually a big fan of Angela from Degeneration. I was kinda' hoping she would be Leon's partner in this game, but alas. _

_Although there wasn't must direct flirting between Helena and Leon in the game, I got the feeling there could have been; and had Ada not been running about, there would have been. I just think the whole Ada/Leon thing has run its course. How many games has it been? 3? 4?! I think it's obvious its never going to happen and the dialogue lines are starting to repeat themselves; its old. _

_Anyways, I digress. This is purely an one-shot and hopefully it can convince a few readers out there to abandon Ada like I have. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of the characters/ideas therein. _

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Helena tapped her foot in agitation and checked that she wasn't a complete mess for what felt like the tenth time in as many minutes. The elevator to the top floor was taking an agonizingly long time; longer than it had even taken it seemed. She tried to calm her beating heart and rapid breathing by telling herself it was just another visit. She had been in this elevator, riding to the top, hundreds of times in the past eighteen months. She smiled at that. It was one of the unspoken rules between her and her partner; Leon kept a full open door policy with her. It had started just after they finished up the C-Virus outbreak in China. The nightmares of the zombies or the all too common nightmare of her sister Deborah's death always left her screaming herself awake, dripping in a cold sweat.

Helena sighed sadly and ran a hand through her horrible bed-hair. She had woken up not an hour ago, screaming and crying over her failure to save her own baby sister. Tears began to form in her eyes but she forced them away. Even with time the wounds weren't healing the way she should. Most night she ignored the guilt but every so often it was too much to deal with on her own. Those nights, like tonight, there was only one place she would feel safe and the dreams would leave her alone. She could almost set a clock to the time it took her to get dressed, pick up food as a bribe and make it to her partner's apartment.

Helena stepped out into the familiar hallway and briskly made her way to door marked "19". It was the furthest from the elevator, but closest to the fire escape that led all the way to the street level. Two years ago Helena would have rolled her eyes at Leon's obvious paranoia but after all she had seen she could well understand his desire to have an escape route close by. It made her feel safe when she was here.

Helena knocked loudly on the door and waited. She knew it wouldn't take long for the man to get up; Leon was an even lighter sleeper than she was. Sure enough after only a few seconds she heard soft footsteps from the other side of the door.

"Who is it?" The voice was hard and threatening. Helena smiled.

"It's me. Let me in." Helena called back. There was a moment of locks opening before the door opened. Leon's eyes were clouded with exhaustion and he wore nothing but tight black pajama pants. Helena sighed inwardly at his physique. Over the months of their partnership she had come to care deeply for Leon; much deeper than she ever thought she would.

"Helena? Its 3am." Leon scratched the back of his head and quickly looked up and down the hallway, "Everything alright?"

"Dreams again. Can I crash here?" She held up an over-stuffed plastic bad, "I brought take-out." Leon eyed the bag longingly and nodded.

"Yeah come on in." He said and closed the door behind her. It wasn't until she was inside Helena noticed the loaded WingClipper on the stand right next to the door.

"Expecting trouble?" Helena joked lightly. Leon gave a humorless smile.

"Our line of work? Always." Leon shrugged, "I mean it's not like you don't have a piece on you right now, is it?"

"How do you always know?" Helena asked and reached into her jacket. She pulled out her own magnum and placed it next to Leon's pistol.

"Magic." Leon shrugged and offered her a wink. Helena rolled her eyes but blushed none the less.

"Yeah yeah, break out the plates Nostradamus. I'm hungry." Helena said and pushed passed him to the kitchen. She didn't even wait for him; she knew the layout of his kitchen as well as he did. Leon's apartment had become a second home to her since their partnership started. After their ordeal in China, Helena had turned to Leon for emotional support and he had not shied away. He knew better than anyone the nightmares and guilt that came with fighting Bio-Terrorism.

"Can I buy you a beer?" Leon said as he pulled on a thin white t-shirt. Helena fought back a groan when his body disappeared under the fabric. After a moment Helena sighed as she remembered why she had come by.

"Can…" She heisted long enough that Leon threw her a worried glance, "Can I get something stronger?" Leon held her gaze for a long moment before nodding slowly.

"Yeah." He said softly and got a bottle of bourbon for a cabinet. He poured her a generous glass and then one for himself. "Your sister again?" He asked as he held out the glass. Helena merely nodded and took the glass in her shaking hands and sipped. Leon placed his glass down and pulled Helena into a gentle hug. She smiled and sighed at his warmth and not for the first time wished she could fall asleep and wake up in his arms.

"Want to talk about it?" Leon's voice rumbled in his chest. Helena put her head to his chest and listened to his heartbeat for several long moments.

"No." She said at length, "I want to eat bad take-out, get drunk off your booze and watch black and white comedies On Demand." Leon laughed.

"Fair enough." Leon said and let her go. Helena felt a moment's coldness when he retreated to the food she had brought, "Couch is yours as always."

"Thanks Leon." Helena said sincerely, "You're the best."

"Sweet talker." He snorted back and pulled out the individual boxes of Chinese food and laid them out.

"Ha. Sure." Helena said and snatched up some food before Leon could eat it all, "If sweet talking worked on you I would only have to roll over in bed to get to you instead of taking the subway across town."

"I can imagine how terribly inconvenient it must be." Leon teased back.

"Believe me, if you could imagine half of what it'd be we wouldn't be doing much talking right now." Helena offered him a wink and he rolled his eyes before picking up his plate and walking to his living room. Helena smiled to herself; yeah he had blushed. Point goes to her.

The smile fell from her lips when she noticed something on the kitchen table. Her eyes widened slightly and her heartbeat increased. It was small, silver and round. Somehow she had missed it when she arrived and with a start she realized she had missed all the signs in Leon's manner.

"Leon?" Helena called to him and he turned. She motioned to the make-up case on the table and Leon paled slightly, "Were you even asleep when I arrived?"

"What answer would you like?" He whispered after a moment. Helena sighed angrily.

"Damn it Leon!" She nearly snarled, "You and I are one thing, but losing sleep over Ada is not going to make her appear at your doorstep."

"I know, I know, okay?" Leon held up his hands as a sign of peace, "It's not like I enjoy it you know."

"Bullshit."

"Helena stop." Leon pleaded and walked over to her. She scoffed but stood her ground. She knew it was ridiculous to be jealous of a woman neither of them had seen in over a year, especially because she and Leon weren't even together. But she wanted to be with Leon and it galled her that Leon still thought about Ada. It was then she noticed the sad look in his eyes as he ran his fingers over Ada's compact case. It gave her a moment's pause. Usually she would simply eat her food and watch television until she fell asleep but the look in Leon's eyes was deeper than usually. He looked tired; emotionally drained.

"Do you still love her?" Helena asked softly. Leon took a deep breath and let it out slowly. A hundred different witty lines played out in his head. He could deflect the question or turn it around on her and an ex-boyfriend. But the look in Helena's eyes gave him pause. She knew him well enough to see through lies and she was smart enough not to let him redirect the conversation. After a moment he sighed and clicked his tongue before answering.

"Would you believe I don't know anymore?" He said and chuckled sadly. Helena face was a mask, completely devoid of emotion. Somehow that look edged Leon to continue, "You know its complicated."

"You know, I was beginning to get that impression." Helena said with a laugh. Leon grinned back but then frowned deeply.

"She's like a drug. When I see her, talk to her…she's in my system. And when she's in my system, she's all I can think about." Leon confessed softly, "It's a weakness but when she's gone…I guess I detox. I get obsessed, angry, frustrated."

"Do you ever make it to the other side?" Helena asked as she slowly walked over. They had been partners for over a year now but this was the most honest and vulnerable Leon had ever been.

"Sometimes." He shrugged, "Depends on how long I go without seeing her. The longer I go…the more free I feel. Some months I even forget about her entirely and I can move on with my life."

"But she always comes back, huh?"

"Sadly, yeah. I don't even know if I want her to anymore." Leon smiled but it was a sad, hollow thing, "You know it's been fifteen years since I first met her."

"That's a long time to wait for a woman that might never come around." Helena said softly. She refrained for saying the rest. _Too long_.

"I know it and I'm tired of it." Leon took a sip of his drink and sighed, "Right now I don't even know what I see in her. I know she's evil. I know she hurts innocent people. Any other woman I would kill her without a second's thought."

"Do you think you will someday?" Helena asked, knowing she was on dangerous ground. Surprisingly Leon simply shrugged.

"If anyone is going to…" He trailed off and lapsed into silence. He picked up Ada's compact case and ran his finger over its smooth silver surface, "I honestly can't remember why I kept this. At the time it seemed natural but now…"

"Do you want me to throw it away for you?" Helena asked and held out her hand. Leon locked eyes with her and she could see the turmoil, the conflict wagging in his mind.

"I have an answer for you but I don't know how to say it." He studied the container for a moment longer, "I trust you to know what I mean." He gulped hard and placed the keepsake on the table. Then, knowing Helena was watching him carefully, he turned and walked away to look out the window. Helena smiled softly and knew what she had to do. She picked up the makeup container and placed it in her purse and zipped it loudly. She wanted Leon to know exactly what she had done. She walked over to Leon and put a hand on his shoulder. He cocked his head to her and smiled sadly.

"Thanks." He whispered and Helena's heart fluttered a bit. She smiled and took a step to stand next to him. They looked out the window in a comfortable silence for a moment before Leon sighed slightly.

"I'm tired of never getting what I want, you know?" Leon said without looking at her, "I'm tired of waiting for someone who will never come." For a while Helena didn't respond. She looked down at her hand resting almost unbearable close to Leon's. She was right next to him and could feel the heat he radiated. The scent of his dry cologne hit her and her mind swiveled.

"So…" Helena teased slightly and shoved Leon playfully, "If you don't want to feel something for Ada…is…is there someone you _do_ want to have feelings for?" Leon turned to face her, eyes stormy with regret.

"Helena, I-" She placed a finger over his mouth to silence what she knew would be another apology.

"Leon we're partners." she said softly and looked into his eyes, "The best the Bureau has had in a long time. I'm not going to let either of us risk that until we know it's worth it." She placed a hand on his cheek, feeling the rough stubble of his five-o'clock shadow, "You were there for me when my sister died and you stood by me when you could have turned me in and been a national hero. You've been more than a partner this past year; you've been my friend."

"What can I say?" Leon shrugged with a grin, "You've grown on me." Helena smiled and her cheeks tinted red.

"And you've grown on me, Leon." Helena said softly, "I can trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone in my life. I can tell you anything." Helena snorted, "Hell, I even told you I was jealous of Ada and wish you felt that way about me."

"Helena, I…I want…" Leon struggled to find the words. He cared deeply for Helena and respected her probably more than anyone else he'd worked with. She was gorgeous, funny and was easily his match during training. At first the other agents had assumed Leon would wipe the floor with Helena when they spared, but for every bit of strength Leon had over her she was that much more agile. He knew she wasn't perfect but she was a perfect match for him. She was everything he _should_ want in a partner, both on missions and in the privacy of what _should_ be their shared apartment. He wanted to want her and he hated himself that he didn't.

"I know what you want, Leon." Helena said and smiled sadly, "I really do. I know how hard you try to feel the same way I feel about you. Those bad jokes and corny pick-up lines. All those nights you bring me dinner when I have to stay late doing paperwork. That beautiful classic Thompson pistol for my birthday. I know you try Leon." He was silent and she could see the guilt in his eyes. She offered him a sympathetic smile and gave him a playful shove.

"I honestly believe you want to be with me and I'm going to be here when those feeling come around." Helena said and winked, "I found someone I want to be with and I'll be damned if someone like Ada wins in the end."

"You sound like a jealous girlfriend." Leon said with a chuckle. Helena scowled playfully.

"Trust me Leon, if I was a jealous _girlfriend_ I would convince you to be with me in the most delightful and naughty way." Helena whispered and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "I play for keeps Leon."

"I hope so because I'm looking for someone to hold on to." Leon whispered back and his hands slowly drifted down to her hips. Helena almost gasped and bit her lip to suppress her grin. This was the boldest thing Leon had done so far and she nearly melted into his embrace.

"You know I could get used to this." Helena said softly. She felt Leon place a kiss on the top of her head and smiled.

"I think I could too." Leon agreed. They stayed like that for a long time and Helena felt herself getting sleepy.

"Really?" She whispered, barely daring to break their moment.

"Really." Leon whispered back and Helena smiled. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into his embrace. They stayed like that for several silent but comfortable minutes until both Leon's and Helena's stomachs started to growl. Leon laughed and Helena sighed in annoyance.

"Moment ruined." She said and pulled away.

"There'll be others." Leon said as he picked up a plate of food and eagerly began scarfing it down.

"Better be." Helena mumbled as she ate. Leon laughed and she scowled in mock anger at him. They sat down next to each other on Leon's couch and she snatched the remote from him, "I'm choosing."

"Not gonna' argue with a woman who brings free food."

"You learn quick, Kennedy." Helena retorted and began cueing up whatever movie caught her eye. They fell into a companionable silence and Helena made the most of it. This was exactly what she wanted; companionship and a safe place to stay. Somehow she slept better knowing Leon was nearby. Of course she would sleep even better if Leon shared his bed.

Helena snorted but thankfully Leon was too engrossed in his late night snack to notice. _Typical man_ Helena thought, _always hungry_. But even as she got a classic man-vs.-woman chuckle from that, she realized it was unfair. Leon was anything but typical man. That was why Helena had been drawn to him in the first place. In the weeks and months following their partnership been made official she had been perfectly happy to let Leon pine after than Ada woman. But as the missions went on and more importantly the downtime between missions went on Helena has started to develop feelings for her partner.

She could see the pain and longing in Leon's eyes whenever one of them brought up Ada. She was usually the one now that she thought about it. Leon seemed to be fully aware his mood dropped sharply whenever he thought about his mysterious Asian woman. Helena tried to avoid that topic as much as she could; the longer Leon went without brooding on Ada the more intimate and open he was willing to be with her. As far as Helena was concerned, that was a universally positive thing. Deborah would have berated her for taking it slow and careful with such a hunky man like Leon.

The thought of her dead sister soured Helena's mood instantly. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the echo of her sister's screams. Some nights it felt like she was still living through those horrors. Some nights she woke up in her bed and she could swear her sister was standing at the foot of her bed, all white skin and bloody features. It was a nightmare straight out of a horror movie and Helena never wasted any time in heading over to Leon's. But it had been over a year since Deborah's death; she had done the mourning and grieving and was supposed to be getting on with her life. With a start she realized both she and Leon had ghosts they were trying to overcome. The only real difference was that Leon's ghost wasn't dead; but that made Ada no less a haunting figure. Helena reached out for her glass slowly and the action wasn't lost on Leon.

"Hey, everything okay?" Leon asked carefully. It was an unspoken rule that if one of them had a nightmare but didn't offer up the details it was off limits. Neither of them really needed to ask; they had shared enough to know what they dreamed about. Helena swirled her drink around for a few moments before looking up.

"Does it ever get better?" Helena asked and sipped from her glass, "Do the dreams ever go away?" Leon was silent for a moment and sighed sadly.

"What are you looking for, Helena?" Leon responded. Helena shot him a look but relented when she saw he was serious.

"The truth."

"No." Leon said instantly, "No the dreams never go away. The pain lessens but it never stops. It's the burden people like us carry."

"How do you do it?" Helena asked, "I mean Raccoon City? Spain? Hartford Airport? China? The outbreak in Bengasi two months ago? And…and the Netherlands before that! How have you held it together so well?" Leon looked down at his hands and flexed and squeezed them several times. When he looked up at her Helena was surprised to see something like fear in his eyes.

"I'm not convinced I'd kept it together well." Leon laughed despite himself, "I mean single? Nightmares every night? Hung up on a known assassin and terrorist?"

"Yeah I guess you're not exactly the paragon of mental health." Helena teased back and downed her drink in one gulp, "Why did I have to go fall for a nutcase like you?"

"Probably for the same reason I want you as my partner and let you stay the night whenever you want." Leon said seriously. When Helena gave him a questioning look he continued, "Because we need each other. We're all that we have."

Helena placed the empty glass on the table and crawled along the couch until she was staring down at him. She could see the lust in his eyes and something approaching affection. The physical attraction had never been an issue; she could seduce him whenever she wanted and Leon would be perfectly happy to let himself be seduced. But there was an emotional attachment missing that Helena felt acutely but never begrudged him. She stared into his smoldering eyes for a long time before she traced his cheek with her finger and rested her gaze on his soft lips.

"You know, if I kissed you we'd be in your bedroom in seconds." She breathed. Leon smirked.

"You know, you're probably right." He said and she couldn't help but smile, "Is that what you want?"

"What I want is for you to take me on a proper date one of these days and try whatever moves you think you have." She said lightly, earning a blush from her partner. After a moment she rested her head on his chest and got comfortable. "But that's not tonight or even this month. So just hold me."

Leon didn't respond. He just wrapped her in his arms and held her close. Helena let her eyes slowly drift closed over the next few minutes.

One day she would kiss him and they would be lovers.

One day everything would just fall into place.

But not today.

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_There you go. _

_Not my best work but damn if it wouldn't let me go. Now back to playing Resident Evil 6 and working on other fics. _


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